By Barb Shelly, Kansas City Star editorial page columnist

This has got to be a good day for Guy Bailey, the former UMKC chancellor who took off to become president of Texas Tech University last year.

Lone Star voters yesterday approved a constitutional amendment that will mean a nice extra cash flow for Texas Tech and other campuses.

Inside Higher Ed sums it up:

The change in the Texas Constitution will transfer $500 million from a largely dormant existing fund into a new National Research University Fund, which will spin off money -- about $25 million a year -- to hire faculty members and for other purposes at the seven institutions: University of Texas campuses at Dallas, Arlington, El Paso and San Antonio; Texas Tech University; the University of Houston and the University of North Texas.

Missouri and Kansas leaders might want to heed the comments of former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, who campaigned for the amendment:

Texans understand that more nationally recognized research universities will help retain Texas-grown talent, recruit top researchers who will generate billions of dollars in economic growth, and create more high-paying, permanent jobs.

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